New California Math Curriculum Close to Implementation

California's new mathematics curriculum moved a step closer to
implementation this month as the state department of education approved
two more of the elementary-school textbook series revised to meet
specific state standards.

The approval of series by Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc. and
Silver Burdett & Ginn brings to six the number accepted since last
year's controversial decision by the California State Board of
Education to reject all of the elementary-mathematics textbooks
submitted to it for adoption.

If the board ratifies the department's decision next month,
officials said, the state can begin full implementation of its new
curriculum, which stresses hands-on and cooperative learning over rote
drill.

"We have made good progress toward our long-term goal" of curriculum
reform, said Francie Alexander, director of the department's office of
curriculum framework and textbook development. She called the books
approved "a sharp departure from what is there presently."

Ms. Alexander noted, however, that the curricular-reform effort had
been hampered this past summer when Gov. George Deukmejian vetoed funds
intended for use in staff-development programs to train teachers in the
new math framework.

"That was a setback to our whole staff-development effort," she
said. "Everything is going to take longer."

Some districts and publishers are conducting inservice workshops on
the new program on their own, she said.

Process of Revision

Following the recommendation of its advisory commission on
curriculum development, the state board in 1986 rejected all 14 of the
K-8 math series submitted for adoption, and gave publishers one year to
revise them. (See Education Week, Oct. 15, 1986.)

Over the past year, state officials have met with publishers to
discuss changes needed to meet state curricular guidelines. During the
course of these discussions, eight publishers decided not to go through
the entire process. While reasons varied, industry officials said that
many publishers had decided that the additional investment required for
revisions--in some cases, up to $2 million--would not pay off.

"We were discouraging to some of them," said Joan Akers, chairman of
the math-subject-matter committee of the state's curriculum
commission.

"Some did not show much promise of succeeding."

Those who stayed with the process had to make relatively few
changes, Ms. Akers noted, but those that were required were
substantive.

In most cases, she said, publishers had to include in student
editions--not just in teacher's guides--an indication of which
materials could be used in certain lessons and the ways students could
work together and discuss the problems.

"The books should not just present information," Ms. Akers said.
"They should get students involved in investigatory activities."

Long-Term Effect

While California officials have touted their curriculum framework as
a national model, it is unclear what effect their textbook-adoption
process will have on the rest of the country.

Only two states--Mississippi and Oregon--are scheduled to adopt math
textbooks in 1988. In the other 19 states that adopt texts statewide,
schools must choose from among previously approved editions.

In the rest of the states, publishers of the six series approved in
California can present districts with two editions--the one that was
rejected by the California board in 1986, and the one that was accepted
in 1987, noted Donald A. Eklund, vice president of the school division
of the Association of American Publishers.

"Districts will look at their framework and decide which of the two
series most closely matches it," he said.

At least one publisher--Open Court--will sell only the edition the
California board approved, according to Richard Leffingwell, director
of math for the company.

Ms. Akers predicted that most educators will go along with the
California board. "There is pretty much a national consensus that [the
framework represents] what should be in a math program," she said.

Shirley M. Frye, president-elect of the National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics, agreed but also noted that math educators are studying
the new textbooks to determine whether they actually reflect the
framework.

"The California framework is an excellent, forward-looking
document," she said.

"But just having a document does not necessarily ensure that changes
occur."

Web Only

Notice: We recently upgraded our comments. (Learn more here.) If you are logged in as a subscriber or registered user and already have a Display Name on edweek.org, you can post comments. If you do not already have a Display Name, please create one here.

Ground Rules for Posting
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.